Rav Pinto, Kushner, Trump&co.

If you think that something was missing from the 'bordel' which is the White House right now, think twice. Maybe you are wrong. There are all there, enjoying the show. Among them, representatives of the 'miracle rabbis' Pinto family.

Coming from a famous and revered family of Moroccan Jews, among which the Abuhazeira branch represented by the 'saint' Baba Sali, the Pintos are an interesting spiritual mix. Yoshiyahu Pinto who spent a year in an Israeli prison for bribery is a follower of the Satmer branch of Askenazi Hasidism. (He is not the only Sephardi Moroccan attracted to the European brand of Judaism, as the current ministry of Interior and Shas leader, Arye Deri whose parents were traditionally religious also studied in Askenazi yeshivot). Yoshiyahu's uncle, Rav David Pinto wears a kapota and a hat close to the Chabad style.

Both Jared Kushner, whose family is Modern Orthodox, and Ivanka Trump praise the Pinto family advice, either on personal and religious matters. (Actually, to keep things right, Hillary went for a blessing and an advice to them too). The Kushners are regular donors to various educational and charitable institutions belonging to the Pinto family, both in America and Israel and Ivanka is said to have kept a close relationship with the Pintos during her conversion to Judaism through the Chabad. Rav Yeshayahu Pinto apparently even mediated a dispute between Charles Kushner, Jared's father, and his brother Murray (the relationships in Kushner family, including between close brothers are extremely wild, to describe them in a very polite way, more about it in a well-documented book by Vicky Ward Kushner Inc.: Greed. Ambition.Corrution. The extraordinary story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump) 

Some say that in the hard moments of the Trump electoral campaign, Jared Kushner received advice and inspiration from the Pinto rabbis, for example to replace Corry Lewandowski with Kellyann Conway. From the Pinto family headquarters in Ashdod, Israel, every Shabbat candles are lit and blessings are made for president Trump. 

While recently in Morocco with Jason Greenblatt, Kushner went to the graves of the holy Pinto rabbis. In NYC, he and Ivanka are often visiting the grave of the Schneerson rabbi, also considered a 'miracle rabbi' for some of his Askenazi followers.

Sometimes though, even the holiest miracle rabbis can't do anything during debacle times.

Rav Pinto on Assignment in Morocco

This Motzei Shabbes, in a ceremony where representaties of the King and local muslim leaders took part, Rav Yoshiyahu Pinto was confirmed as the kashrut inspector and chief rabbinical judge in Morocco. 

Counted in 2012 by Forbes among the wealthiest rabbis, Pinto spent one year in prison for attempting to bribe a high-ranking police officer. His list of problems was much larger and complex, and included embezzlement. A Kabbalist, Rav Yoshiyahu Pinto is the grandson of Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira - or Baba Sali - but he studied extensiely in Litvishe and even Satmer yeshivas. At the age of 37, he founded a yeshiva in Ashdod, very popular among Jews of North African and Iraqi descent, including people who returned to religion. 

Among his followers - and also sponsors of his extended network of institutions under the umbrella of Shuva Israel - there are many non-religious wealthy businessmen, like Nochi Dankner, Ilan Ben-Dov, Jacky Ben Zaken or even Yossi Harari main job: mob boss. Harari even accompanied Rav Pinto during his annual pilgrimage to Silistra, in Bulgaria, to the tomb of Rav Eliezer Papo. Born in Sarajevo in the 19th century, Rav Papo - also known as Pele Yoetz, after the name of his main book on musar ethics - encouraged in his writings to consider that money is coming rather from Gd and earning a livelihood should not be a topic of preoccupation for the believers. Apparently, Rav Pinto had a more bold, modernist reading of his writings. Among his services count the offer of financial advices with a pinch of Kabbala, and during his stay in USA in 2008, he tried his hand advicing - not for free and through translator, as he does not speak any English - the basketball player LeBron James.

There are even more stories about Rav Pinto's experiences and achievements, that will be maybe for another time. The question is, how does it help Moroccan Jews - around 2,500 - his nomination? Among the Jews living there, there are also a couple of Israelis from the category of Yossi Harari. As between Morocco and Israel there is no extradition treaty, some of them are living in Morocco without the fear of being taken back to their country of origin prisons. Among them, a couple of years ago, it was another 'famous' Rabbi: Rav Eliezer Berland and his followers set tent here for a while, while trying to escape serious criminal allegations, especially of sexual nature.